Barton Hills Elementary closing???? Can't be! (Austin, West: sale, real estate, apartment)

[love roses]

I agree. I think Librarians are vital and seriously will not be happy if they fire the one at my daughter's school! Parent volunteers won't know how to do ordering or many of the other ins and outs of keeping a library running, other than shelving books or checking them out, and it's a much bigger job than that.

[h886]

Originally Posted by love roses

I was just at my niece's birthday party, and one of my BIL's cousins was there. She's an Elementary teacher here in Hutto. Her school is not one of the one's slated to be closed, but she said most of the schools, including AISD, will most likely cut underperforming teachers, surplus staff like librarians and copy room staff and go to using parent volunteers.

I can't remember the last time I encountered a paid staff member whose only job was to run copies. In every school I've been in, it's always been the teachers running their own copies, or student office aides, or parent volunteers. Of course, if some school is doing this, that's an easy place to cut, but that hasn't been my experience.

As far as letting go of "underperforming" staff, keep in mind that this isn't the way schools typically work. They will likely eliminate positions by demand and subject area, choosing the most recent hires and going in order of seniority.

Not sure how Hutto is doing it, but in most districts, they will cut some staff at all schools, redistributing the ones from the closing schools and trying to avoid actual layoffs by simply not hiring anyone new. There is some degree of attrition year to year.

I also hate to think of librarians being cut. It's a sad situation, but if they're told they have to eliminate 10 people from campus, someone has to go, even if all the jobs they're fulfilling are important. I think everyone has their own list of who they think that is.

[oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots]

Hutto ISD proposes campus closure and staff reduction - Taylor Daily Press: News


If they are going to cut I say start at the administrative level.

[love roses]

The lady at my daughter's school does laminating and copying. When she first started going to school there, there was noone employed in that position, it was volunteer/teachers did it themselves, etc...they hired someone abt. 2 yrs. ago. Yes, the cousin did mention that they would probably redistribute some teachers.

[h886]

Originally Posted by love roses

The lady at my daughter's school does laminating and copying. When she first started going to school there, there was noone employed in that position, it was volunteer/teachers did it themselves, etc...they hired someone abt. 2 yrs. ago. Yes, the cousin did mention that they would probably redistribute some teachers.

Wow, that's surprising to hear. You would think they would have eliminated those sorts of positions already.

[shmatbert]

I am usually against closing neighborhood schools, but yesterday someone told me that Barton Hills has somewhere between 200 - 300 students. That is probably way too small to justify keeping open. I'm surprised that it hasn't been closed or repurposed by now when many AISD elementaries enroll 700 - 1000.

[centralaustinite]

Actually Barton Hills is over-enrolled! The problem is the building, the "permanent capacity" of the school is listed by AISD as 251! The current enrollment is 347 (2009) or 138% but only 184 students at the school come from the neighborhood (the rest are transfers).

Most of the central south schools (Dawson, Becker, Zilker) have building capacities around 500, only newer, suburban schools enroll 600+ and their buildings are larger.

Lots of great info on this topic from the notes of the AISD task force, particularly meeting 15.
Projects | DeJONG Inc.

I don't even have kids in public schools but I love this kind of granular data! Tough choices all around.

[jesg]

Yes, Barton Hills is over-enrolled. The AISD Task force has proposed closing down several elementary schools including Barton Hills and Zilker Elementary. Barton Hills and Zilker both have exemplary rating as do many of the elementary schools the task force have proposed closing.

[mimimomx3]

Originally Posted by hilsmom

You think art and music are "pet projects"? Really? That is a real shame. So much good can come from students being exposed to the arts, and so many children don't get it at home, nor can their parents afford to provide it. I knew plenty of children in band with me at the elementary level who never would have been able to participate had the school not provided it.

Now, I do understand we are living in tough times. Most school systems are being faced with tough choices. But I would argue arts programs are worth the money to create well rounded students. If any school my child was attending ever lost their arts program funding, I would fight tooth and nail for the PTA to raise the funds to keep it going.

Signed,
person who participated in music programs all the way through college and whose life was enriched by it

I adore music and the arts. I adore them so much that I'm willing to work very, very hard (as is DH) so that my kids can participate. I don't believe that the public school system should be mandated to provide them. The PTA, in my opinion, is the perfect group to fund the 'extras' of education- art, music, athletics.

Signed,
Overtaxed, overburdened taxpayer

[mimimomx3]

Originally Posted by HappyTexan

I think the schools are doing all they can to not cut the core curriculum and mandated services to special needs/disadvantaged kids.

Remember...the core goal is to educate kids..teach them reading, writing and arithmetic.
We've got to tighten the belt here. The good times of free spending are over.

You cannot just "issue bonds" to pay for stuff when you cannot afford to pay the interest on those bonds. Muni bonds are in the tank..investors don't trust cities and states to pay them off if they have revenue shortfalls.

Volunteerism needs to increase now..time to step up and HELP out the schools.
There's fluff that can be cut ..become an AVID volunteer so the schools don't have to pay for AVID aides and tutors. Things like that will HELP to ease the pain.

I totally, absolutely agree- a public school education should cover the CORE subjects. The 'extras'- sports, arts, music- those should be parent funded through money or volunteers.